Metatarso-phalangeal ball cushion



De. 3, 1946. B J, SILVER 2,411,901

METATARSO-PHALANGEAL BALL vCUSHION Filed Jan. 12, 1945 INVENTOR ATT'ORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 194,6

2,411,901 METATARso-PHAAGEAL BALLv -V CUSHION' 1, u Benjamin J Silver, New York, N. applicati@ January 12, 191,5seria1N;57Iz,4ss

particularly tov va high arched'womans shoe and -the invention 'relates specifically to a cushion' forming a fabricatedpart of, or designed to be inserted'as an attachment for suchshoes, and which cushion is of the type sometimes referred to by reason of its location as a metatarsophalangeal ball cushion, y

The present disclosure constitutes a development of-the'metatarsal cushion disclosed in my Patent No.2,159,054 grantedrMay 23, 1939. In the prior patent there was disclosed a pad of approximate elliptical form and Which specilically had to be made in two forms, one forthe shoe of the left vand the other for the shoe of the right'foot. 'Care'had. to be exerciseduin installing these patented forms of pads in a shoe to makesure that a'pad designed for 'a right 'shoe was not installed ina left'shoe and the reverse. In those cases Where the kknovvn form of" pads were installed in shoes -at the time ofl sale ynot only did vcare have 'to beeXercised by the shoe salesman to'be srethat he vdid not get a left pad in a right shoe, 'or the reverse, but it Was not unusual for a store or shoe repair man to have a run on one kind of pad, say left pads, and he may for the time being be out of left pads While having quite a stockon hand of right shoe pads.

The present disclosure had for anobject the providing of' a single f' unitary one-piece ball cushion which can be fitted selectively into either a left or a' right shoe at the ball area by the selection of that side uppermost which Will ft 'the shoe intended,'right or left.

The pad illustrated in the above patent was designed to constitute a fabricated Vor added element to a Womens shoe of conventional heel height,` and among other things togive animproved form of resiliency and increased comfort to conventional shoes' While in' use. However, modernv styles have Vcalled for very much higher heels, and" this has in turn developed a deep recess or concavity both laterally and longitudinally in Vthese highheel shoes in the'region of the metatarsal arch of-'the wearer. Obviously any such variation fromy the normal contour of the shoe producesv a vsharp ybend in the foot enr cased in such shoesv particularly in the region of the archwith resulting strains on the foot muscles. Withthe presentftypeof-high heeledshoes vwith their `extreme andunnatural depression ini the mid-portion of the sole, the foot, while in such shoes, actually becomes distorted; the arches are strained and there is a tendency for such shoes:

to throw 'the wearer off balance and in general a f 9 anims. (01.36471)- most'uncomfrtable situation results from wearing'ssuchshoes. v f

Accordingly, anotherand perhaps the main objective of this invention is to provide in a high heeled shoe as fabricated, or an insert for a high heeled shoe, a metatarsal cushion which Will tend lto kavoid foot' distortion; which will cause the Wearers sole Whiley wearing such high heeled shoes toV approach that formv which the foot would have in walking on soft ground and thus tend t relieve foot fatigue now so prevalent with women and which has become 'more' pronounced with increase in heel height. y

5 Accordingly, the invention features an adaptor or compensating form of cushion which While possessing all of the advantages disclosed inthe above identied patent will permit the Wearing of the presently fashionable high heeled shoes and at thefsame, time avoid the angled distortionof the foot which occurs at. present when encased in shoes ofthe high heel type herein disclosed.

t Broadly',;these objectivesA are obtained by providing a double-faced cushion for underlapping the head ends of the metatarsals and the posterior portions of the proximal phalanges which while acting-as a filler to reduce the inf ternal anglev of the -inner sole and which angle would otherwise be assumed by the foot, also lfunctions, as does the previously patented pad -When a pad of the proper lateral bulge is insertedin the shoe of lesser heel height such as isfdisclosed in said prior patent, to give comfort tothe wearer. f Y Y Various other objects and advantages of the invention lWill be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in part Will be more fully set forth in` the following particular description of a form of insert for inner soles, embodying the invention, and the invention lalso consists in certain new andnovel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.v

InY the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the basic shoe with a sole modifying cushioning insert pad shown in position located with reference to the bone structure Fig. 3 is a vertical` transverse sectional View taken on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cushioning insert shown in the preceding figures and with one edge partly broken away to show the cross sectional configuration of the pad; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross section of the pad in its normal fiat position before it has been bent into the curved form imposed 'thereon by the longitudinal and transverse curves of the inner face of the shoe sole.

In drawing and referring rst to the basic shoe construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a conventional form of 'womans 'deep instep shoe comprising an outer sole Il), and inner sole I I with the edges of the upper I2 secured at its forward portion between the soles and at its rear end secured between the upper sole and the top of the heel I3- It is particularly noted that the shoe has a very high or French heel I3 which, yof course, provides a rather high elevation to the rear ends of the soles Ill and II. Therefore, por- .tion 33 of the soles as they eng-agethe ground are .fiat or almost so. This means vthat the instep 34 quite sharplyinclines downwardly and forwardly at an angle of about 45 into the flat portion 33. This means that the inner sole forms an S-shaped curve in longitudinal section and which curve on its lower side forms a pronounced depression 35 which, as shown in Fig. l, forms a concaved short vcurved .arc having a relatively short radius. It is this deep depression which is having the effect of distorting the feet of women wearing shoes of this .character and which the present disclosure is fendeavoring to remedy, In Athat deep seated region .35 and which otherwise located is beneath the ball of lthe foot, there is fitted a ball or metatarsal Aarea supporting pad I4. This pad is intended among other things to `restore the foot ltwards or at least somewhat towards its natural walking position even when encased in the foot distorting shoe herein illustrated. This pad is of a shape somewhat irregularly elliptical in plan as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and is located in the shoe in position to receive the ball of the foot at y its advanced and relatively wide end. When viewed in plan the pad is somewhat egg-shaped, or differently described, is a segment of egg form. The pad is carefully formed with relation to the bone structure of the fore part of the foot, it being noted that it entirely underlies practically the entire second, third and fourth metatarsal bones designated respectively 2m, 3m and 4m, leaving the rst and fifth vInetatarsals designated respectively `Im and m, uncushioned or substantially so particularly in -the case of the rst metatarsal bone Im.

The pad has its greatest transverse width or minor diameter in its forward portion and has its forward edge in position sufficiently advanced at least to underlap the heads of the metatarsal bones. Considered lengthwise the pad extends forwardly a distance just sufiicient to underlap the -rst proximal phalanges, specically desig-` nated in Fig. 2 as 2171, Sp1 and 4121, of the second, third and fourth toes, leaving all of the phalanges of the first and fth toes as well as the second and third pha'langes of the second, third and fourth toes uncushioned. Considered in its rearward dimension the pad underlaps the anterior half of each of the shanks of the second, third and fourth metatarsal and as shown in Fig. 1, extends substantially to the juncture of the tarsal and the middle metatarsal bones. Considering the pad when Viewed in planas in Fig., 2, it will be noted that it has a greater width measured along its minor axis on one side of its major axis or axis of balance indicated by the line a-b than it has on the other side, and there is thus formed a greater bulge 35 on one long side 31 than on the other long side 38. It will thus be seen that the pad and shoe shown in Fig. 2 .is for the right foot. Viewed through the drawing sheet, Fig. 2 then in `reversev would Vshow fa 1pad and shoe for Vthe leftlfoot. L L y 1t is a distinctive feature of this pad, and in this it particularly distinguishes from the pad in the above .identified patent, is that the com- '.bined right and left foot pad herein featured is conveXo-convex, or double convex in substantially all of its cross sections and is relatively thin `compared to the other dimensions. The opposite sides are so related that with one side 4uppermost it conforms to a right shoe and with the other side uppermost it conforms to the left shoe of a pair.

Irrespective as to which side may 'be facing upwardly the sole receiving surface is provided with three shallow recesses, depressions or pockets, those on one side being designated I1, I8 and I9 Aand those on the opposite side being designated |11, |81, and 191, land whichever may be uppermost located to receive respectively the heads of the metatarsal 2m, 3m and 4m. It is particularly noted that the depression on one side is opposite the corresponding depression on the 'other side. For instance recess I 1 is opposite recess |11. The cushion is so formed with an outlining feathered edge 20 'that the two outside half of edge recesses or pockets, 2l and 22 on the one side and 2I1 and 221 on the Aother side, are found at the extreme opposite edges to underlap respectively the inner portions of the heads .0f the first metatarsal Im and the fifth metatarsal 5m, leaving the other edge portions of the ball portion .of the foot .supported directly on the uncushioned outer edge portion of the inner sole as particularly shown in Fig. 3. The centers of the three interior recesses, "I1, Iz8 and I9 or |11, 181 and I'Sl, and the two outer half recesses 2| and 22 or 211 and 221 4are .disposed in a curve which when viewed in plan as in Fig. 2 is the curve defined by the centers of the heads of the five metatarsal bones and defines what has been referred to herein as vthe minor axis of the pair. The cushion has "its `maximum elevation at a point designated hp in Fig. 2 approximately just back of .the head of the second metatarsal bone, or close thereto, irrespective as to Whether the right side of the pad is uppermost in a right shoe or the opposite or left side of the pad is uppermost in a left shoe. Considered in cross section the cushion gradually decreases in thickness in all directions to the feathered edge 2G from the vertical line c-d shown by dots in Fig. 5 defining the maximum thickness connecting the Vpoints hp and hp of maximum elevation on each face.

kThe cushion is formed as an integral one-piece article preferably formed of a cushiony material such as a type of rubber or rubber-like material formed symmetrical with reference to a central medial plane as shown in Fig. 5, but having sufficient flexibility to be bent longitudinally as shown in Fig. 1 and transversely as shown in Fig. 3 to conform to the compound curvatures of the inner sole.

Where a high degree of flexibility is desired in themarginal portion forming the feathered edge. 2D and lessflexibility and thus relative ricushion in which it is contained andthe outlining edge of the insert 40 is spaced inwardly fromthe marginal portion of the cushion so as not to interfere with the-desired flexibility in the flexible feathered edge. It isfsug'gested thatthe pad be made of ,twojhalves a rightA and a lefty each with an `upper curved face" withV flat f undersides as shown ln the abovepatent and the'twofhalves connected together -'either' with orfwithout the relatively stil inserty Ml,A

When in position in the shoe and conforming to the inner sole as shown in Fig. 3 the recessesA designated when facing upward to receivethe metatarsal heads also function when facing downwardly to coact withthe inner sole to form air cushioning pockets. Y

By means of a device of thisy character it is possible for the repair man or shoe storey to `'carry in stock one form ofl pad which can be'used either in a left or right shoe simply by reversing the pad so that the bulged edge yof the pad will correspond with the bulged edge of the shoe, right or left as the Acase may be. As it is theusual` practice to provide these pads in several standard sizes the halving ofthe necessary supply constitutes a material saving in the number of different kinds required. It is particularly notedY that the fact that theupper surface must be convex is utilized when the pad is turned upside down to accommodate itself to the deep con-` bones are utilized when in the upside down posi tion as air cushioning pockets and here again providing a structural part which has two functions depending on whether the part faces upwardly or downwardly. The Ibulk of material which forms the support of the pad provides not only the required cushion effect but also provides a certain degree of rigidity suiilcient to support the weight of the wearer without abnormal distortion of the pad and at the same time provides especially in the marginal portion that degree of flexibility which will permit the marginal distortion of the pad to conform to the minute variations in shoes, even in those shoes which are intended to be of the same size. It will be understood that the use of the leather or rubber insert is optional and is used only in those situations where the rubber or other cushioning material used -to form the cushion fails to provide the requisite degree of rigidity in the weight supporting portion of the cushion.

I claim:

1. In a shoe, the combination of an outer sole, an inner sole provided in the region of the ball of ythe foot in its upper surface and spaced from the edges of the sole with a relatively deep depression rounding from side to side in all vertical cross sections, a semi-flexible combined metatarso-phalangeal ball cushion normallyY of substantially egg-'shaped plan of convexo-con- 'vex form having its opposite surfaces of identical contour with its curved underside ilexed un# der tension into a lit in said depression and se- Vterminating approximately mid-length of the middlefirstphalanges; y s y 2; In.` ashoe, the combination of an outer sole; an inner sole provided in the region of the ball of thefoot in its upper surface and spaced from the edges lof the solefwith'a relatively deep depression rounding from sideto side in all vertical cross sections; a Semi-ilexible combined metatarso-phalangeal ball cushion of substan-A tially eggs-shaped plan, of convexo-convex form' having its curved'underside flexed under tension e into a fit in saiddepression and secured tothe inner sole, said cushion having its upper ,sideupf-,I wardly convex in all vertical cross sections and said upper sidehaving its point of,y highest elevation located under the .shaft of the second metatarsal bone irrespective asto which side 'of the cushion may be uppermost, reducing in ele-Y vation gradually in all radial directions from said point and forwardly to a position terminat-l ing approximately mida-length of the middle first phalanges and in which the underside of the' cushion is provided with a plurality of shallow recesses in the portion thereof beneath the ball portion of the foot coacting with the portion of the inner sole overlapped thereby to form shallow air cushioning pockets, each pocket on one face being opposite a corresponding pocket on the other face and certain of said pockets being opposite certain'heads of the metatarsal bones.

l3. A one-piece cushioning pad for the ball region of the foot for use in either a right or left shoe, said pad being approximately egg-shape in plan with opposing long edges rounding one into the other, having a greater width measured along its minor axis on one side of its major axis than on the other side and thus forming a more pronounced bulge in one long side than in the other long side whereby the pad may be used in a right hand shoe with that side facing upwardly which will bring the greater bulge atthe right or may be used with said rst named 'side facing downwardly in a left hand shoe with the greater bulge at the left, said pad being initially convexe-convex in substantially all cross sections and with its opposing sides each being slightly convex and having a looking glass symmetry relative to a central medial plane therebetween and relatively thin compared to its width and length dimensions and having suillcient flexibility to conform to the shoe in which it is irltended to be installed.

4. A one-piece cushioning pad for the ball region of the foot for use in either a right or left shoe, said pad being approximately egg-shape in plan with opposing long edges rounding one intol the other, having a greater width measured along its minor axis on one side of its major axis than on the other side and thus forming a more pronounced bulgein one long side than in the other long side whereby the pad may be used in a right hand shoe with that side facing upwardly which will bring the greater bulge at the right or may be used with said first named side facing downwardly in a left hand shoe with the greater bulge at the left, 'said pad being convexo-convex in substantially al1 cross sections and relaaveiytnm comparent@ its Width and;img gtn-jci.-I rnensidns',A having suiiicient :flexibility fto conform` toA theshoein which it isintended to be installed and in which'each sideface is provided with a plurality of shallow recesses, at 1eastthree for receiving the heads'of the three middle metatalfsal bones, the recess/for receiving the head of the second metatar-sal bone when one side is uppermostv in a left shoe being oppositev the recess for receiving the head of thesecond metatarsal bone when the other side is uppermost in a right shoe.

5.3 A one-piece metatarsal arch pad forming a segment of an egg-shapedform and provided on one `sole receiving face with three shallow depressions spaced apart transversely and along the minor axis and located to receive the portion of the sole of the wearer immediately beneath the heads ofv the second, third and fourth metaf tarsal bones of one foot when said side is facing upwardly in aleft shoe and provided on its oppositeisurface with three shallow depressions spaced apart transversely and along the minor axis and located to receive the portion of the soleof the wearer immediately beneath the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones of the other foot when said opposite side is uppermost in a right shoe and said pad being conveXo-convex incross' section along substantially all cross sections.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in which the outlining marginal portion forms a feathered edge with the portion thereof at the minor axis fashioned to receive at least the inner portions of the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones irrespective as to which side is facing upward.

'7. rlhe structure defined in claim 5 and in which the pad has its point of highest elevation located under the shaft of the second metatarsal bone irrespective -as tol whichside of thepad may be in kengagement with the sole of the wearer and thus the highest -point on one side is in transverse alignment with the highest point of elevation on the other side. v

S. A shoe cushion for use asa support for the metatarsal arch comprising ya pad substantially ellipticalin plan,wider at one end than the other and with a greater bulge on oney side of said wide end than on thevother side thereof, having its opposite; faces slightly convex to. form the pad pfA convexe-convex form and having a degree of flexibility to` permit the'underside of the same to confor-my to the contour of the inner sole of the shoe and said cushion exhibiting a maximum degree of flexibility in its marginal portion said opposite sides being normally convex Vand symmetrical with reference to a central medial plane and a thin layer of reinforcing material located in said medial plane, confined to the portion of the pad of maximum thickness and having its edges spaced inwardly from said flexible marginal portion. 1

9. A.shoe havingiits sole engaging surface more nearlya straight-angle in the region beneath the .heads of the metatarsal bones than the outersole forms in this region, and said'sole engaging surface provided with at least three shallow depressions for receiving the heads of the three middle metatarsal bones substantially elliptical in plan and having its point of highest elevation back of the head of the second metatarsal bone and reducing inelevation in all directions from said point of highest elevation and said surface in the area of said bones being more resilient and thus providing a greater cushioning effect at said area than in more remote lportions. of the sole engaging portions.

BENJAMIN J. SILVER. 

